Cosy Winter Nights - Me Time Tag

For my Cosy Winter Nights post, (I'm taking part in the Big Blogmas Project & this is today's theme) I thought I'd complete a tag I've been wanting to do for a while. The Me Time Tag. This one was started by Essie Button & Amelia Liana on YouTube here, and as I love my me time so much... I knew this was one I definitely wanted to do!

What do you watch or read during me-time?
I read quite a lot, as my regulars may have noticed through my 'On My Bookshelf' series. I wouldn't say my reading sticks to any particular genre but at the moment I'm reading The Goldfinch, cgeck out my previous On My Bookshelf posts here and here if you'd like to know a bit more about what I've enjoyed reading.. I also like to watch quite a lot of American shows during my 'me time', some of my faves are Vampire Diaries, How I Met our Mother & Breaking Bad. I also love a bit of Made in Chelsea, TOWIE and Geordie Shore... my guilty pleasures!

What do you wear during me-time?
PJ's! I love slouching with some comfies, slipper socks and my fluffy dressing gown. Also I definitely agree with the #nobra 100%!

What are your me-time beauty products?
During me time I just like to get all of my make-up off and give my skin some much needed rest time (hey, skin likes me time too!) So my favourite products are my Soap & Glory Cleanser which I use to double cleanse, my Body Shop Vitamin E Toner, Botanics All Bright Hydrating Night Cream (yep through the day too, an extra moisture boost while I'm just chilling) and finally whatever nail polish I'm loving at the time! Pedicures are perfect for me time!

Current favourite nail polish?
Following from the above question, my current fave is the OPI limited edition Turn on the Haute nail laquer, which ironicall I got in my 'Cosy at Home' November Birchbox. It's a gorgeos sparkly silver that I'll no doubt be wearing regularly throughout the party season. It's currently pride of place on my tootsies as I'm not allowed my (hand) nails painted at work *sob*.

What do you eat/drink during me-time?
I'm unlucky enough to love both sweet and savoury! So me time is usually cheese and biscuits, houmous and toaster pitta or any form of chocolate I can get my hands on! Also I can't not mention the obligitory cup of tea!

Current favourite candle?
Ooooh that's tough but I'm going to say my Lily Flame Wild Jasmine candle, all of the Lily Flame candles smell lovely and are packages gorgeously! I actually wrote a post about my current favourite candles here, if you'd like to see what else makes my list check it out!

Do you ever have outdoor me-time?
I do enjoy running so if I'm in the mood I like to head out with my iPod for a bit, living in the Lake District you'd think I'd have more outdoor me time, but I guess when something is on your doorstep you do take it for granted! 

Would you ever go see a movie alone?
No I don't think I would, I'd much rather stay at home and watch a DVD in the comfort of my home where I can slob out and pause to go to the loo or get more snacks! Going to the cinema is something I usually do with friends.

Favourite online shop?
Argh this is tough... I'm going to say Missguided purely because I can't go into a physical Missguided shop. Most of the other shops I use online are also on the highstreet. I'm probably one of very few people who doesn't like ASOS, there's way too much choice and I get frustrated trying to find stuff!

Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time?
I basically just like to chill! Sometime's I blog during me time as it's soemthing I really enjoy doing! Eating is high on the agenda and napping has to be a personal favourite. If it's not about R&R, I like to have a full on pamper day where I groom from top to toe and maybe even go for a cheeky facial!

What do you like to do during me time? If you're reading this I'd like to tag you in 'The Me Time Tag', let me know if you do it!

One Lovely Blog Award

Thank you to the lovely Toni from Clarke Couture who has nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award. This is a nice little tag which helps bloggers to get involved in the blogging community and let's us all get to know each other a little bit better!



To take part in the award you need to:

• Display the award logo at the top of your post.
• Thank the person who nominated you and leave a link to their blog in your post.
• Add this set of rules to your post so that your nominees will know what to do.
• Add 7 facts about yourself into the post.
• Nominate 10 other blogs and leave links to each of them in your post.
• Let the people who have been nominated know that they have been nominated 
• You must FOLLOW BACK the person who NOMINATED YOU on GFC and BLOGLOVIN.

Check, Check and Check! So onto the 7 random facts about me!

1. I have started planning a Northern UK Meetup which will hopefully happen in February, keep checking back for info on this or e-mail me if you'd like to get involved!
2. I am a product tester (this isn't my job) I do this as a blind test, meaning I do not find out what the product is or who makes it, I purely have to give schedualed feedback on the effectiveness of different products. My opinions aren't seen publically (like when people review things for their blog), it is just used as market research from the company making the products before they decide whether to produce and sell the item I'm testing. It can be annoying when you love the product because you don't know if it will ever be produced, and even if it is, you don't ever find out what it was to go and buy it!
3. I have also been a mystery shopper which involes me getting a set number of things to review in a shop/restaurant/bar etc and giving feedback to the company. It can be quite complicated and there's sometimes a number specific questions you need to ask their staff, hopefully getting the response they've been trained to give.
4. I have naturally light blonde hair and have never dyed it, it looked white when I was little.
5. I am 26 years old, but nobody ever believes me, I've always looked really young for my age which can be a bit of a pain at work when people don't respect you or have faith in your ability.
6. I have a 'Bucket List' of 100 things I want to do during my life, I think I've completed around 25 of these in the last couple of years.
7. One of those is to be a TV/Film extra..seems to be the hardest one to achieve. If you've any tips please do let me know! :)

So that's my 7 random facts, I hope you feel you know me a little better. My nominees are:

Alex at Roses and Lipsticks
Lauren at Britton Loves 
Nicola at Pink Confetti
Kristen at Everybeauty Talks
Nicola at Something like Nicola
Jess at The Beauty Sanctuary
Jill at A Little Soap Box
Mairi at Wished for Ruth
Aisling at Rosy Smiles
Ines at Pretty Little Things

Looking forward to getting to hearing some facts about you!

First Time Tag

No, we're not talking about that first time, this is a fun little tag about some of the other firsts in your life. I'd like to thank Heather over at Home Life With Heather for tagging me in this one, Heather runs a lifestyle blog covering all things from beauty to home DIY, I loved her post on her painted dresser makeover, having just bought my first home I'm looking forward to more of her home decorating posts! You should definitely go check her out!

 

First Blog Post

I am very much a Newbie blogger, although I attempted starting a blog way back when I was (I think) 19, my first official, published blog post was Benefit Candy Coated Countdown where I talked about my exciting purchase and tips on how to get one now they're sold out online.

Do you still talk to your first love?

I don't. We didn't break up on the greatest of terms and there isn't any need for us to stay in touch with each other. I much prefer it this way.

What was your first job?

I was 13 and got a job at a local Cafe as a waitress, my first wage was £1.90/hour and I was ecstatic to be making money... A whole £17 for 9 hours work! (Yes I did think this was amazing at the time). It was a lovely Cafe though and I stayed for three and a half years.

First Aeroplane Ride

I went to Spain when I was 2 with my family. I obviously have no recollection of this but since then I've been on around 70 Flights and I can still say I love flying. It feels like the start of the holiday/trip to me.

First Broken Bone

Right now! I'm currently off work with a broken foot. I never thought I'd break a bone unless I was in some horrible accident. But nothing quite so extreme. I literally tripped up...over myself...wearing flat shoes...with no alcohol on board! Go figure.

First Piercing

So on that first holiday to Spain my parents bought me a Spanish doll, she had her ears pierced and I apparently twined and twined for mine done too. My Mam finally gave in after we'd gotten home, I was still 2. A lot of people have said they thought it was cruel of my Mam; getting my ears pierced so young but I know what I'm like. I'm a stubborn thing and I would have ruined my Mam's life until I got my ears pierced. I'm quite happy I got them done when I did!

First Sport

I don't know if this counts but when I was probably 4/5 I went dancing (tap and ballet) I gave it up pretty quickly. The at primary school I was a proper tomboy and got involved playing football and later took up gymnastics where I earned all my BAGA awards. None of these lasted and the only sport I enjoy nowadays is running.

First Concert

I went to see Steps with my Mam, we booked on one of those coach trips that organise your transport and tickets. I think we only went because I wasn't happy my Dad took my brothers to watch football matches and I wanted to go somewhere too! I can't remember a single part of it but I was a big Steps fan back in the day.

First Fear

It's the only fear I can ever remember having and I'm still terrified of them now... Spiders! They're horrible, I know it's a completely illogical fear as (in our country at least) they can't harm us, but they just really creep me out. If I see one I can't get close enough to get rid of it but I also can't settle and definitely couldn't go to sleep; knowing that it's there! *Shivers*

I'd like to tag

Chloe at Brazen Rouge

New Lune

Kirstie at Kimamely

Sammy at Little Fickle Blog

Olivia Cheryl

The One and Only Tag

Choosing my 'One and Only' beauty items is definitely a toughie for me, I have so many products that I love and tend to switch it up quite a lot. However I am going to try to be selective for you having received this fun tag from the lovely Megan at Silk and Ivory. Megan is a gorgeous Aussie girl living in Brisbane with a really cool blog, I loved her recent skincare post and would encourage you to go and check her out! So... onto the hard part.

Primer

 

Benefit Porefessional Primer has quite recently taken pride of place in my primer favourites category, it makes such a smooth base for my foundation to go on and isn't greasy or sticky in the slightest. Plus I adore the Benefit packaging, it's just so pretty! This one is a sample I recieved in a Birchbox, but I have just ordered the full size as this one's nearly fun out!

Foundation

I use MAC Studio Fix Fluid, I do find it quite hard to get the exact shade that's right for my skin tone and currently mix two shades together (NW20 and NC15), but I love the coverage and probably quite weirdly the smell! I think it's really important to use a foundation with SPF as well and this has SPF 15 which throughout most of the year is fine for the UK. 

BB Cream/Tinted Moisturiser

I don't really bother with either or these, purely because I like a fuller coverage and if I'm not leaving the house I just give my skin a day off!

Blush

I was given this as a gift and love it, the packaging is gorgeous and the colour is perfect for me, it's the Talbot Runhof for Art Deco tri-coloured Blush Couture. I think this works great on my pale complexion but also builds up beautifully when I'm wearing false tan. It's no longer available on their website as it was an Autumn/Winter 2013 special collection, I might actually cry a little when this runs out. If any of you know of a good dupe, please let me know. 
  
Highlighter

I use MAC Prep and Prime highlighter pen daily to hide dark circles and highlight my nose, but for nights out I'll also add in MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish, it's a little too glittery for daily use but I for evenings I like to highlight the C around my eyes and just under my brows. 

Eye Palette

By far my favourite eye palette is the MAC warm neutral palette, I'm now realising I have A LOT of MAC in my favourites, but this is probably my all time favourite MAC product. I remember seeing it in the airport when it was first released, it's 15 shades of neutral browns, golds and pinks and I absolutely adore it. You can create so many looks from this, it's a little pricey at £65 (I got mine for £55 in duty free) but when you consider the price of an individual refill eyeshadow is £10, its a massive bargain!

Eyebrow Product

I currently use Benefit's Brow Zings and then comb through my brows with a spoolie. I have been recently looking at different blonde pencils to use as an alternative, I've never moved onto anything else purely because this has lasted me AGES but recently I've felt it's a little too dark with my Blonde hair. If you guys have any suggestions on eyebrow products for light blonde hair let me know! 

Eyeliner 
 

I actually use the dark powder out of my MAC Palette as my eyeliner applied with a stiff straight brush. If I'm headed to a special occasion I use the MAC Pro Longwear Eyeliner and then to deepen the colour and define the line I go over it and fill in with my usual dark eyeshadow. 

Mascara

My old faithful Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Black Mascara has stuck with me through thick and thin, it never flakes off onto my face and makes my lashes look really thick and dark, can't complain at that! I've curretly ran out of this so unfortunately don't have a photo for you guys but you can see it here.

Lipstick

This is probably the one I change around the most, I'm currently loving my Laqa & Co Bees Knees Sheer Lip Lube Pencil, it's basically a chubby lip pencil in a gorgeous coral colour, I know it's Autumn now and the berry shades are coming out, but I can't quite let go of this one just yet. 

Lipgloss

Another no-no for me, I hate anything sticky that my hair attaches itself to, so I tend to avoid lipgloss!

Brush

I can only choose one?!! My brushes are mainly a mixture of Bare Minerals, MAC and Real Techniques, but I love trying new ones. If I had to pick one I'd probably go for my Real Techniques buffing brush which is part of their Core Collection. I love how it buffs foundation into my skin, it gives such a flawless finish and doesn't soak up too much product like some brushes I've used. 

Crush

  
This one wasn't hard at all! Dan Osborne from The Only Way is Essex is absolutely gorgeous!


Phew! Now I've managed to work my way through that one, I'd like to tag the following ladies to tell us their One and Only's too, can't wait to see what they come up with!

Megan from Child of the Universe

Emily from Emily Burrows

Natasha from Her Name is Tasha

Ffion from A South Wales Blog

Angela from The Sunday Chapter

Becky from Just Becky



Love Cece Xx

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